Cork pops up on cue

Nottinghamshire 244 and 302 Derbyshire 312 and 24-1

IF DERBYSHIRE reach their 235 victory target to claim a second championship victory, rivals will start taking keen note. Their one major deficiency appears to be the lack of a front-line specialist spinner. However, should their pace attack continue to function with similar persistence and penetration, that absence may not prove significant.

For much of the day, on a dry and true wicket, occupation of the crease appeared less than troublesome. Devon Malcolm, Dominic Cork and Phillip DeFreitas toiled manfully, but with precious little reward. Then the arrival of the new ball altered the balance of the game. The last six Nottinghamshire wickets fell for just 42 runs, Cork and Malcolm bullying the tail into submission.

Two batsmen, in particular, will rue their dismissals. Tim Robinson attempted to sweep Kim Barnett in only the second over of the day, while Chris Cairns, the one positive batting highlight, swiped across the line to be bowled by Cork. If either had shown the patience of opener Paul Pollard, who nudged and tickled an innings of 85 in just under five hours, Derbyshire would have been chasing a more substantial target.

The punishable deliveries came from the three Derbyshire spinners. Debutants Andy Cottam and Tom Harrison suffered nervous starts and both were severely punished. Harrison eventually found a brisk rhythm but the absence of first choice wicketkeeper Karl Krikken did not help his cause. Barnett was erratic, one wide bouncing on three different tracks.

Cork's dismissal of Cairns prompted the collapse. Wayne Noon was caught by replacement keeper Adrian Rollins from the next ball and Malcolm followed suit, accounting for Kevin Evans and Greg Mike in consecutive deliveries. Fragile tail-ends will not relish this pumped up Derbyshire attack.